THIS GIFT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING

摘要

Since 1995, productivity growth in the U. S. has doubled from its sluggish pace over the previous two decades, in part because of heavy investments in Internet gear and other information-technology equipment. It has been especially strong in industries that embraced the Internet with gusto, such as manufacturing, retailing, and financial services. But can information technology keep contributing to productivity growth? After all, the Net bubble has long since splattered, and corporate technology investment has tumbled from its peak. The tech productivity boom may have stronger legs than most people think. A BusinessWeek analysis suggests that cost savings from IT investments in six industries alone could hit more than $140 billion a year by 2007―on top of the savings achieved from the rapid productivity gains between 1995 and 2002.